Two-piece bedpan

ABSTRACT

A plastic bowl member and a plastic seat member are designed to be resiliently interlocked to form a two-piece bedpan. When the bedpan is assembled, a continuous ridge disposed along the top edge of the bowl member resiliently engages the seat member to provide a positive, resilient interlock between the bowl member and the seat member. The bowl member and the seat member are each provided with a tab positioned so that the pair of tabs are in juxtaposition when the bedpan is assembled. Disassembly of the bedpan is readily accomplished by applying oppositely directed forces to these tabs, for example by applying pressure with the thumb and index finger. A graduated scale on the interior wall of the bowl member permits quick and simple measurement of discharge into the bowl member. The design of the bowl member is such that a stack of bowls can be nested together without friction interlock between adjacent bowls; similarly, the design of the seat member is such that a stack of seat members can be nested together without friction interlock between adjacent seat members.

United States Patent [1 1 Dooley et al.

[ 51 Nov. 12, 1974 TWO-PIECE BEDPAN [75] Inventors: Ronald M. Dooley, East Lansing; John W. Haas, Ypsilanti, both of Mich.

[73] Assignee: Tri-State Hospital Supply Corporation, Howell, Mich.

221 Filed: Mar. 22, 1973 211 Appl. No.: 343,994

[52] [1.8. Cl. 4/112 [51] Int. Cl A6lg 9/00 [58] Field of Search 4/112, 1,113, 142, 138, 4/134; 52/594; 220/60 R [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,069,693 12/1962 Brodsky 4/1 12 3,249,950 5/1966 Wilson 4/l 12 3,460,164 8/1969 Patton 4/1 12 3,532,244 10/1970 Yates, Jr.... 220/60 R X 3,592,349 7/1971 Baugh 220/60 R X 3,593,879 7/1971 Gach 220/60 R 3,618,802 11/1971 Yates, Jr. 220/60 R X 3,645,758 2/1972 MacManus 220/60 R 3,760,972 9/1973 McKirnan 220/97 C 3,768,846 10/1973 Hensley 52/594 X Primary ExaminerHenry K. Artis Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Reising, Ethington & Perry [57] ABSTRACT A plastic bowl member and a plastic seat member are designed to be resiliently interlocked to form a twopiece bedpan. When the bedpan is assembled, a continuous ridge disposed along the top edge of the bowl member resiliently engages the seat member to provide a positive, resilient interlock between the bowl member and the seat member. The bowl member and the seat member are each provided with a tab positioned so that the pair of tabs are in juxtaposition when the bedpan is assembled. Disassembly of the bedpan is readily accomplished by applying oppositely directed forces to these tabs, for example by applying pressure with the thumb and index finger. A graduated scale on the interior wall of the bowl member permits quick and simple measurement of discharge into the bowl member. The design of the bowl member is such that a stack of bowls can be nested together without friction interlock between adjacent bowls; similarly, the design of the seat member is such that a stack of seat members can be nested together without friction interlock between adjacent seat members.

5 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures TWO-PIECE BEDPAN ber and the seat member, a design permitting ease of cleaning of the bedpan interior, a design requiring minimum space for storage and shipping of the bedpan, and a design providing assistance to the nursing staff using the bedpan, such as the inclusion of a graduated scale to measure discharge into the bowl member. Various prior art bedpans address one or another of these desiderata; for example, a one-piece glass bedpan known in the prior art includes graduations on the exterior sidewalls of the bedpan to assist in measuring discharge into that bedpan. Another bedpan known in the prior art is a two-piece design suitable for nesting to thereby minimize the space required for storage and shipping. Other two-piece and stackable bedpans are also known in the prior art. The prior art does not, however, include any bedpans similar in design to the bedpan of the present invention.

The present invention is a two-piece bedpan includ ing a bowl member and a seat member designed to be resiliently interlocked. When the bedpan is assembled, a continuous ridge disposed along the top edge of the bowl member resiliently engages the seat member to provide a positive, resilient interlock between the bowl member and the seat member. The design of this resilient interlock departs from the approaches known in the prior art. The use of a continuous ridge to effect a positive, resilient interlock is unknown in the prior art, and this resilient interlock yields definite advantages by reason of the positive, resilient assembly established thereby between the bowl member and the seat member. To facilitate disassembly, the seat member and the bowl member of the instant bedpan are each provided with a tab positioned so that the pair of tabs are in juxtaposition when the bedpan is assembled; disassembly is readily accomplished by applying oppositely directed forces to these tabs, for example by applying pressure with the thumb and index finger. Prior art two-piece bedpans require cumbersome manipulation of the pieces relative to one another to accomplish disassembly; the pressure tabs of the bedpan of the present invention yield obvious advantages in this regard.

The design of the bowl member and the seat member, aside from providing benefits'with regard to assembly and disassembly of the bedpan as noted, include elements for simplified nesting of stacks of bowls or seats. A plurality of stacking lugs are included in each bowl member, and these stacking lugs are disposed to engage the top edge of another bowl member when the bowl members are telescopically nested. By this design, the bowl members can be shipped or stored with a minimum space requirement without the difficulties attendant friction interlock between successive bowls in a stack. Similarly, the seat member of the present bedpan includes continuous peripheral land portions whereby a stack of seat members can be nested without friction interlock. The design features that permit stacking of bowl members and seat members depart substantially from the approach to stacking known in the prior art. Each of the members of the bedpan is provided with elements exclusively used in connection with such antifriction stacking; the design of the bedpan, as regards assembly and disassembly, is accommodated to these stacking elements.

A graduated scale is provided upon the interior wall of the bowl of the instant bedpan whereby the discharge into the bowl can be readily measured.

The present invention, together with further features and advantages thereof, can be best understood by reference to the following description of a preferred embodiment taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the bowl member of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the bedpan of the present invention as assembled;

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view of the bowl member of FIG. 1 taken along line 33 showing the measuring graduations on the interior surface thereof;

FIG. 4 is a view in cross-section of the assembled bedpan of FIG. 2 taken along line 4-4;

FIG. 5 is a partial sectional view of a stack of nested bowl members;

FIG. 6 is a partial sectional view of a stack of nested seat members;

FIG. 7 is a partial sectional view of the bedpan of the present invention showing the mating portions of the bowl member and the seat member before assembly;

FIG. 8 is a partial sectional view of the bedpan of the present invention showing the resilient interlock of the bowl member and the seat member when assembled;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged partial sectional view of the assembled bedpan of FIG. 2 taken along line 9-9; and

FIG. 10 is a partial sectional view of the bedpan taken along line 10l0 of FIG. 9.

Reference should now be made to the drawings and more particularly to FIG; 1 illustrating a bowl member generally designated 10in plan view. A seat member generally designated 12, separable from the bowl member 10, a resiliently interlocked with the bowl member 10 when the bedpan is asembled. The seat member 12 is best illustrated in FIG. 2 wherein the assembled bedpan is shown in plan view.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 3, 4, and 5, the bowl member 10 comprises a base 14, an upwardly extending curved, continuous sidewall 16 terminating in an interlocked portion generally designated 18, a pressure responsive means or snap tab 20, and an antifriction stacking means comprising a plurality of lugs 22 disposed on the exterior of the sidewall 16. In the illustrated preferred embodiment there are six lugs 22 positioned as shown, and the snap tab 20 is disposed just below the major axis centerline of the bowl member as shown in the plan view. Graduations generally designated 23 are carried on the inside of the sidewall 16 to facilitate measurements of discharge in the bowl member; of course the graduations can be calibrated in ounces or any other system of choice, although the illustrated graduations are in c.c. Furthermore, several measuring scales, even of mixed calibrations, can be carried on the interior of sidewall 16, if desired.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 4 and 6, the seat member 12 comprises a conventionally shaped slightly dished seat portion 24 having the usual opening 26 therein, a continuous depending sidewall 28 terminating in an interlock portion generally designated 30, a pressure responsive means or snap tab 32, and anit-friction stacking means comprising land portions 34, 35, 36, and 37.

Land portion 34 is the upper rearward edge of the seat. Land portions 35, 36, and 37 are best shown in FIG. 8. Land portion 35 is the lowest continuous outer peripheral planar surface of the seat member 12; land portion 36 is a continuous outer peripheral planar surface substantially aligned with and spacedfrom the land portion 35; and land portion 37 is a continuous edge intermediate land portions 35 and 36.

The bowl member and the seat member 12 can be fabricated from a variety of materials; however, high density polyethylene is the preferred material ofthese members.

FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate the detail of the resileint interlock between the bowl member 10 and the seat member 12 before and after the bedpan is assembled. The mating interlock portions 18 and 30 respectively carried by the bowl member 10 and the seat member 12 include a yieldable extension member, suitably carried by either the bowl 10 or the seat 12, comprising a continuous ridge 38 disposed at the top edge of the bowl member 10 and extending entirely around the periphery thereof, and a tongue-and-groove consisting'of an extension lip and a socket adapted toreceive that extension lip. The extension lip comprises upper edge portions 40 and 42 of the bowl member 10 and a continuous peripheral skirt 44 extending downwardly from the edge portion 42 at the exterior of the bowl member and terminating in a beveled surface 46. The socket comprises an inner peripheral wall 48 of the seat member 12 and a laterally spaced outer peripheral wall 50 joined by a continuous peripheral seat 52. The outer peripheral wall 50 terminates in a continuous peripheral shoulder 56 connected therewith by a beveled surface 58. As shown in FIG. 10, the shoulder 56 includes apertures where the outer peripheral wall 50 continues without interruption by the beveled surface 58 to accommodate the stacking lugs 22 of the bowl member 10 when the bedpan is assembled. There is also a notch 60, illustrated in FIG. 9, in the peripheral wall 50 to accommodate the tab 20. As shown in FIG. 8, when the bedpan is assembled, the continuous ridge 38 is distorted by contact with the seat 52. The'continuous ridge 38 applies force to the seat 52 effecting positive engagement between the beveled surfaces 46 and 58, however, the force of the continuous ridge 38 is inadequate to disassemble the bedpan. Application of additional weight to the seat member 12 during use causes further distortion of the continuous ridge 38 and a slight separation of the beveled surfaces 46 and 58. When such weight is removed, the continuous ridge 38 resiliently restores the seat member 12 to the position illustrated in FIG. 8 wherein the beveledv surfaces 46 and 58 are in positive contact.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 9, the pressure responsive tabs 20 and 32 are in juxtaposition when the bedpan is assembled. Application of an upward force to the tab 32 of the seat member 12 relative to the tab 20 of the bowl member 10 is effective to overcome the interlock between the two members whereupon the beveled surfaces 46 and 58 slide relative to one another to permit the peripheral shoulder 56 to pass the exterior surface 44 of the bowl member whereupon the bedpan is disassembled. When the bedpan is disassembled, the exterior wall 54 and the shoulder 56 of the seat member 12 are flexed out and away from the peripheral skirt 44 of the bowl member 10 which skirt is also flexed in and away from the wall 54 and the shoulder 56. Similarly,

when the bedpan is assembled, the mating interlock portions 18 and 30 are aligned and assembly force is applied to flex the wall 54, the shoulder 56, and the skirt 44 in the manner described for disassembly.

As shown in FIG. 5, several bowl members can be conveniently stacked for shipping or storage. When successive bowl members are telescopically stacked, the stacking lugs 22 ofa given bowl member repose on the continuous ridge 38 of the bowl member into which the given bowl member is telescopically stacked.

As shown in FIG. 6, several seat members can be conveniently stacked for shipping or storage. When seat members are telescopically stacked, the front sector of the land portion 35 of one bedpan reposes on the front sector of the land portion 36 of the seat member next below, and the rearward sector of the land portion 37 reposes on the land portion 34.

Although the foregoing has proceeded in terms of a particular preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications could be engrafted thereon by one skilled in the art within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A bedpan comprising: a bowl member comprising a base, a sidewall extending upwardly from said base, and a plurality of lugs depending from the upper edge of said sidewall for preventing friction interlock between said bowl member and a similar second bowl member within which said bowl member is telescopically stacked; a seat member separable from said bowl member; and mating interlock portions respectively carried by said bowl member and said seat member comprising an extension lip carried by one of said bowl member and said seat member and a socket carried by the other of said bowl member and said seat member adapted to receive said extension lip, said extension lip including a yieldable continuous ridge, said extension lip and said socket including corresponding beveled surfaces, and said extension lip and said socket extending substantially around the perimeter of said bedpan.

2. A bedpan as in claim 1 wherein said extension lip is carried by said bowl member and wherein said socket is carried by said seat member.

3. A bedpan as in claim 2 including first and second snap tabs carried respectively by said bowl member and said seat member and disposed in juxtaposition when said bedpan is assembled.

4. A bedpan comprising: a bowl member comprising a base, a sidewall extending upwardly from said base, and a plurality of lugs depending from the upper edge of said sidewall for preventing friction interlock between said bowl member'and a similar second bowl member within which said bowl member is telescopically stacked, said lugs being adapted to engage the upper edge of the similar second bowl member within which said bowl member is telescopically stacked; and a seat member comprising a seat portion, a continuous sidewall depending from said seat portion, a first land portion at the outer peripheral edge of said seat member, a second land portion at the outer peripheral edge of said seat member substantially aligned with and spaced from said first land portion, a third land portion comprising the rearward sector of said seat portion, and a fourth land portion at the outer peripheral edge of said seat member substantially aligned with and spaced from said third land portion, all of said land portions cooperating to prevent friction interlock between said seat member and similar seat members telescopically stacked therewith.

5. A bedpan seat member comprising: a seat portion, a continuous sidewall depending from said seat portion, a socket extending substantially around the perimeter of said seat member for interlocking said seat member with a mating bowl member, a first land portion forming part of said socket at the outer peripheral edge of said seat member, a second land portion at the outer peripheral edge of said seat member substantially aligned with and spaced from said first land portion, a third land portion comprising the rearward sector of said seat portion, and a fourth land portion forming part of said socket at the outer peripheral edge of said seat member substantially aligned with and spaced from said third land portion, all of said land portions cooperating to prevent friction interlock between said seat member and similar seat members telescopically stacked therewith. 

1. A bedpan comprising: a bowl member comprising a base, a sidewall extending upwardly from said base, and a plurality of lugs depending from the upper edge of said sidewall for preventing friction interlock between said bowl member and a similar second bowl member within which said bowl member is telescopically stacked; a seat member separable from said bowl member; and mating interlock portions respectively carried by said bowl member and said seat member comprising an extension lip carried by one of said bowl member and said seat member and a socket carried by the other of said bowl member and said seat member adapted to receive said extension lip, said extension lip including a yieldable continuous ridge, said extension lip and said socket including corresponding beveled surfaces, and said extension lip and said socket extending substantially around the perimeter of said bedpan.
 2. A bedpan as in claim 1 wherein said extension lip is carried by said bowl member and wherein said socket is carried by said seat member.
 3. A bedpan as in claim 2 including first and second snap tabs carried respectively by said bowl member and said seat member and disposed in juxtaposition when said bedpan is assembled.
 4. A bedpan comprising: a bowl member comprising a base, a sidewall extending upwardly from said base, and a plurality of lugs depending from the upper edge of said sidewall for preventing friction interlock between said bowl member and a similar second bowl member within which said bowl member is telescopically stacked, said lugs being adapted to engage the upper edge of the similar second bowl member within which said bowl member is telescopically stacked; and a seat member comprising a seat portion, a continuous sidewall depending from said seat portion, a first land portion at the outer peripheral edge of said seat member, a second land portion at the outer peripheral edge of said seat member substantially aligned with and spaced from said first land portion, a third land portion comprising the rearward sector of said seat portion, and a fourth land portion at the outer peripheral edge of said seat member substantially aligned with and spaced from said third land portion, all of said land portions cooperating to prevent friction interlock between said seat member and similar seat members telescopically stacked therewith.
 5. A bedpan seat member comprising: a seat portion, a continuous sidewall depending from said seat portion, a socket extending substantially around the perimeter of said seat member for interlocking said seat member with a mating bowl member, a first land portion forming part of said socket at the outer peripheral edge of said seat member, a Second land portion at the outer peripheral edge of said seat member substantially aligned with and spaced from said first land portion, a third land portion comprising the rearward sector of said seat portion, and a fourth land portion forming part of said socket at the outer peripheral edge of said seat member substantially aligned with and spaced from said third land portion, all of said land portions cooperating to prevent friction interlock between said seat member and similar seat members telescopically stacked therewith. 